When Should You Take The Mcv Blood Test
Doctors often recommend the MCV blood test when symptoms of anemia, specifically macrocytic and microcytic anemia, appear. These symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath
Macrocytic anemia is a blood disorder characterized by abnormally large RBCs, while microcytic anemia occurs when the RBCs are smaller than the average size. Both conditions entail low hemoglobin.
Combination Of Mcv And Mchc
The combination of MCV and MCHC can help narrow down the possible diagnoses. Cells with a low MCHC are called hypochromic, which means light-colored.
The table below shows which conditions are associated with different combinations of MCV and MCHC measurements.
| MCV and MCHC in Anemia |
|---|
| MCV |
| Cold agglutinin disease |
What Does Mcv Mean
MCV Blood Test or Mean Corpuscular Volume is a measure of the average volume of red blood cells, also known as erythrocytes, in a blood sample.
Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body to support the health and function of organs and tissues.
The MCV Blood Test can help identify whether the red blood cells are too large or too small. These changes in volumes can affect the way oxygen is distributed throughout the body.
An abnormal Mean Corpuscular Volume can help your doctor diagnose certain diseases: anemia, folate deficiency, liver disease, hypothyroidism, chronic hypoxia. ETC.
The MCV test is part of a panel of tests called the Complete blood count .
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Address Any Vitamin Deficiencies
If you have high MCV levels because of a vitamin B9 or vitamin B12 deficiency, doctors will recommend boosting levels of these vitamins.
Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet is a good way to get the proper number of vitamins and minerals to keep your body healthy. In my article on how to address a vitamin B12 deficiency naturally, you can read why consuming spirulina is a great way to increase vitamin B levels.
Purpose Of Mcv Blood Test
Mean corpuscular volume is one of the numbers provided as part of a CBC. So healthcare providers see the MCV any time a CBC is ordered.
An MCV blood test might be ordered as part of routine screening exams. It may also be done as part of diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of many medical conditions.
However, there are times that a healthcare provider will want to look specifically at the MCV when evaluating symptoms or a medical condition. Some of these include:
- To evaluate possible symptoms of anemia such as fatigue, pale skin, and lightheadedness
- To distinguish between different types of anemia
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How Much Do Full Blood Count Tests Cost
The Vitall full blood count test is available online for just£69. Your home test kit will be dispatched by free first class post for delivery to your door.
For the best value testing you can also upgrade this full blood count home test to tests which also measure other biomarkers, including:
- Anaemia – Assess your blood cells, iron levels & B vitamins.
The Cbc Providing Information About Your Health
The human body is primarily made up of water and cells. Many of the cells group together to form the skin, muscles, bones and organs, such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, etc. Such cells are stationary, staying in one place within the body. Some very special and important cells, however, move throughout the body by traveling in the blood. These circulating cells provide oxygen to all of the stationary cells in the body, help fight infection throughout the body, and help stop bleeding after an injury. Information about these cells can provide important clues about the overall health of the body.
The complete blood count, or CBC, is a lab test that provides information about these circulating cells. First, a sample of your blood is collected and sent to the lab. A lab instrument then automatically counts the number of each type of circulating cell. If results from the automated instrument are outside specified limits, a medical technologist will examine the cells closely so complete information about the cells can be provided.
Results from the CBC test can help:
- Provide basic information about your health
- Detect a health condition before you have any symptoms
- Confirm that a health condition exists
- Identify the causes of your symptoms
- Find out if your medicine is working
- Rule out a disease
- Establish a baseline that can be used for comparison with future test results
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What Do High Mch Levels Mean
Your MCH will reflect your MCV. That means youll have more hemoglobin if your red blood cells are larger than normal. Red blood cells can grow too large when you have fewer of them than normal — a condition called macrocytic anemia. Its more common if youre elderly. Lifestyle or genetic factors can also cause it.
You may have high MCH if you have very low vitamin B12 or folate. These are B vitamins that help you make red blood cells. This may happen if:
- Your stomach cant absorb vitamin B12
- You have all or part of your stomach removed
- You eat a vegan diet
- You have an autoimmune condition
Other causes include:
You may not have a health problem causing your high MCH. Let your doctor know if you have a family history of increased MCV or MCH. If doctors dont find a cause, they may want to recheck your levels every six months.
Symptoms of High Levels
You may not feel bad if your MCH is high. But it may be a sign that your red blood cells arent dividing the right way. This may cause anemia because you end up with fewer red blood cells. You could have symptoms similar to low MCH. The most common one is tiredness.
If you dont have enough vitamin B12, you might have:
- Numbness or pins and needles in your hands and feet
- Trouble with your balance
Who Should Take The Mean Corpuscular Volume Blood Test
Measure your general blood and immune health and ability to fight viral & bacterial infections using a home finger-prick blood test kit.
You get the convenience of home testing with the reassurance of professional clinical analysis. Your results are delivered quickly & securely online.
This Full Blood Count Test is advised if you:
- have symptoms of anemia
- think you may have a bacterial or viral infection
- want to check the general health of your blood
- want the convenience of home testing without waiting for a GP appointment
- need a high quality, clinically accredited test done in a professional clinical laboratory.
Take a complete health check-upwith Vitall.
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What Are Low / Normal / High Mcv Levels
The mean corpuscular volume is measured in femtolitre . According to Dr. Jerry R. Balentine on MedicineNet, the average MCV levels for an adult is between 80 and 100 fL.2
Low MCV levels of below 80 fL are classed as microcytic anemia.
High MCV levels of more than 100 fL in an adult are referred to as macrocytic anemia.
Dr. Joseph Irwin from Lancaster General Hospital says that MCV blood test levels in children to diagnose anemia are slightly lower. The average for MCV level for children between the ages of 2 and 18 are 81 fL to 88 fL.3
What Is A Complete Blood Count
The RBC indices are part of the larger complete blood count . The CBC is a battery of blood tests ordered by your healthcare provider to evaluate the composition and quality of the blood cells in your body.
The CBC not only includes white blood cells that help fight infection and platelets that clot blood but also red blood cells that transport oxygen throughout the body
The complete blood count is so named because that is exactly what it does: count all the blood cells in a sample. The values are reported in different ways, sometimes by the actual number of cells in a sample of blood and, at other times, by the proportion of one group of cells to another group.
In their totality, these values can tell a healthcare provider a lot about the state of your health.
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Red Cell Distribution Width
Red cell distribution width is a test that assesses the variability in the size of the red blood cells. A normal RDW would mean that your red blood cells are all similar in size, whereas a higher RDW means that there is more variability in the size of the red blood cells.
RDW values are described in percentages . It is instead calculated as the standard deviation of red blood cell volume/mean cell volume) × 100 .
A normal reference range for RDW is 11.5% to 14.5%.
A low RDW means that red blood cells are not very different in size from typical measurements. A high RDW means they differ in size more significantly, which can indicate the body is having trouble producing enough red blood cells.
The interpretation of the RDW differs from the other blood tests in that it varies based on its relationship to the MCV. In short, the sizes and variability of red blood cells can indicate vastly different things.
Here are just a handful of examples:
| RDW Result |
|---|
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What Does A High Mcv Count Indicate
A high mean corpuscular volume count means your red blood cells are larger than normal. Some reasons for this may include liver disease, hypothyroidism, vitamin B12 deficiency, and folic acid deficiency. It can also mean theres nothing wrong with you at all. Menstrual cycles, diet, exercise, and other lifestyle factors can impact your MCV count.
Red blood cells are the cells in your blood that are responsible for carrying oxygen from the lungs through your body. The bone marrow produces the cells, and they are filled with hemoglobin. Your blood also contains white blood cells and platelets.
What Do Low Mch Levels Mean
Your MCH dips below normal when your body doesnt make enough hemoglobin. One reason for this is microcytic anemia. That means your red blood cells are too small. Extremely low iron levels are usually the cause of this type of anemia.
You may be at risk for iron-deficient anemia if you:
- Bleed a lot during your period
Treatment for Low Levels
The treatment depends on what is causing your symptoms. If you have a mild lack of iron, your doctor may ask you to:
If you have a serious lack of iron, you may need:
- Intravenous iron therapy iron medication infused into a vein
- A blood transfusion someone elses blood infused into your vein
You may not need any treatment if you have mild thalassemia. But if your condition is more serious, you may get:
- Blood transfusions
- Iron chelation therapy medication that you swallow or receive via IV, which you may need if you have high iron from many transfusions
Do not take iron supplements if you dont have low levels of iron. It could hurt your organs.
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Platelets Helping To Clot Blood
Platelets are the smallest blood cells. They are an important part of blood clotting. These small cells clump together and form a sticky mass that helps the blood to clot. Blood clots help your body handle injury by stopping or preventing bleeding. Blood clots can also cause problems, however, when they occur within the blood vessels or the heart such clots cause a blockage known as thrombosis.
What Are The Risks
Drawing a blood sample has a few risks, but people differ, so blood collecting may be straightforward and painless for many people. The side effects of the blood collection for an MCV test include:
- Lightheadedness
| 88fl | 90fl |
Children between 6 to 12 years have a normal MCV level of 86fl. MCV results may be different among labs, so a result may be slightly higher or lower.
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Mcv Blood Test: What It Means And What It Tells About Your Health
Jenny Hills, Nutritionist and Medical Writer Health
MCV blood test is part of RBC indices and checks the mean corpuscular volume of your blood cells to help doctors check the health of your blood. The MCV blood test shows the average size of your red blood cells. Red blood cells play an important function in transporting oxygen and nutrients to tissue. Red blood cells that are too large or too small can be an indicator of an underlying medical condition. That is why doctors will check the average size of your red blood cells.
If the MCV results in a blood test show that the red blood cell volume is too low, this could be a sign of iron deficiency anemia, chronic blood loss, or a blood disorder. If the mean corpuscular blood cell volume is too high, then it could be a symptom of a vitamin B deficiency, excess alcohol consumption, problems with your liver function, or an underactive thyroid. Certain medications can also cause high MCV levels.
The readings from a CBC blood test that include the average volume of red blood cells can help doctors diagnose various diseases and illnesses.
In this article, you will learn what the MCV blood test means and what it can tell about your health. You will also learn about natural ways that can help to normalize your MCV levels.
Autoimmune And Dietary Factors
The following may result in vitamin B12 deficiency.
Vegan diets do not include animal meals that contain natural forms of vitamin B12. Vegans and people with vitamin B12 deficiency can take supplements or vitamin B12-fortified foods.
- Autoimmune gastritis
This inflammatory condition affects the stomach, particularly the parietal cells that produce intrinsic factors. If these intrinsic factors are absent, vitamin B12 cannot enter the bloodstream through the distal small intestine. Iron infusions and vitamin B12 injections can treat this deficiency.
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Red Blood Cell Indices: Types Uses Results
What MCHC, MCV, MCH, and RDW Mean and Reveal
One of the most common blood tests is the red blood cell indices. It is a component of a larger battery of tests known as the complete blood count . The information offered by the RBC indices can provide valuable insights about your current health, possible diseases you may have, or how well you are responding to treatments.
Although it is easy to be confused by all of the numbers and abbreviations on the reportMCHC, MCV, MCH, and RDWit is your interest to have an idea of what they mean. Doing so can help you participate more actively in your care and make informed choices.
This article breaks down the various tests that make up the RBC indices, including what high and low test values mean.
What Is Mean Corpuscular Volume
MCV stands for mean corpuscular volume. There are three main types of corpuscles in your bloodred blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. An MCV blood test measures the average size of your red blood cells, also known as erythrocytes. Red blood cells move oxygen from your lungs to every cell in your body. Your cells need oxygen to grow, reproduce, and stay healthy. If your red blood cells are too small or too large, it could be a sign of a blood disorder such as anaemia, a vitamin deficiency, or other medical condition.
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What Does Mcv Blood Test Result Mean
MCV values represent the average size of your RBC circulating in your bloodstream. High MCV indicates your RBC size is larger than the average size in a healthy adult. Similarly, lower MCV results indicate that your MCV is smaller than average.
MCV values are measured by calculating a formula, in which hematocrit is multiplied by ten and divided by the RBC count measured in millions of cells per cubic millimeter of blood
In simple terms,
MCV = hematocrit x 10 / red blood cell count
Usually, a healthy adult should show an MCV value between 80 to 96 femtoliters per cell. .
Why Is Mcv Important
MCV is measured and reported as part of a CBC test report. MCV helps in diagnosing different types of anemia and health conditions. MCV value indicates the average size of red blood cells in your blood.
Your physician will generally order a CBC test, which includes the MCV analysis if you experience any of the following symptoms:
- Many other conditions
Your MCV values provide important information on your blood health, but it is also compared with other red blood cell components such as Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration and Red Cell Distribution Width to have a complete picture on your health and diagnose accordingly.
However, your physician will look in particular for the MCV values for certain medical conditions, such as
- To evaluate possible symptoms of anemia such as fatigue, pale skin, and lightheadedness
- To distinguish between different types of anemia
- To evaluate other blood abnormalities such as an abnormal white blood cell or platelet count
- As an additional test in many medical conditions
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